Sunday, August 26, 2007

Settlers, state discuss legalizing some outposts, removing others

-----B”H

When it isn’t Olmert selling us out, it is the Yesha Council.

Have they learned nothing from Gush Katif, when they all but surrendered because they didn’t want to “harm” anyone (mostly their own backsides!)—then reaped the government benefits of protecting a few settlements that they were associated with?

It seems they have lost their credibility. Why are they bargaining away our land?? Who gave them the right to do this?

The Yesha Council of Settlements is negotiating illegal outposts with Defense Minister Ehud Barak's bureau. The main points of the agreement being hammered out are to evacuate outposts to which no legal solution can be found, while legalizing some and moving others.

According to unconfirmed reports in the Hebrew daily Makor Rishon, the Yesha Council has agreed to move the largest of the outposts, Migron near Beit El, after no way of legalizing the community could be found, including attempts to show that at least some of the land was purchased over the past year by Jews.

In a flyer distributed to synagogues on Shabbat, the Yesha Council reported on the meetings underway with the Defense Ministry, and attempted to explain its stand, saying, "Dialogue with the Defense Ministry will be conducted with complete transparency vis-a-vis the residents of the outposts." The flyer also stated that as many outposts as possible would be legalized, the damage to the residents would be as minimal as possible, and alternative settlement locations would be offered if an outpost cannot be legalized.

The flyer said the council was conducting the talks with the defense minister's aide for settlement matters, Eitan Broshi, and that Barak had instructed Broshi to prepare the response to the High Court of Justice petition on Migron submitted by Peace Now.

Seven years ago, when Barak served as prime minister, he formulated an agreement on the outposts with the Yesha Council. According to that agreement, several outposts were to be moved, others legalized, and some were to be "frozen." Almost none were to be evacuated.

This time, based on the opinion of Attorney General Menachem Mazuz and the Sasson Report, the Defense Ministry is required to evacuate those outposts that cannot be legalized.